Game apparatus



Oct. 18, 1938.

c. w. HoRToN, JR"

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3 vym) W *om Charles Wallace /orlll/ fn www Patented Oct. 18, 1938 PATENT oFFicE GAME APPARATUS Charles Wallace Horton, Jr., Greensboro, N. C.

Application February 4, 1937, Serial No. 124,090

2 Claims.

My invention relates to games of the type wherein a playing board is employed in connection with playing pieces.

An important object of the invention is to pro-` vide a game of the above mentioned character, wherein a plurality of factors must be considered, in the movement of the playing pieces which factors are controlled by entirely separate objects.

A further object of the invention is to provide a playing board having a checkered surface providing moving spaces, having designations for indicating and controlling the direction of movement of the playing pieces, under given conditions.

A further object of the invention is to provide a playing board having a plurality of checkered playing fields, separated by a safety zone or zones.

A further object of the invention is to provide -a game of the above mentioned character, the playing of which is a matter of skill and judgment and not of chance.

A further object of the invention is to provide a game of the above mentioned character which is easy to play, is interesting, and is educational to a considerable extent.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a plan view of one playing iield,

Figure 2 is a plan view of a complete playing board,

Figure 3 is a perspective View of one of the Employee playing pieces.

Figure 4 is a similar view of the Employee playing piece combined with an upper playing piece to produce a Merger playing piece,

Figure 5 is a plan view of one of the tokens or chips,

Figure 6 is a plan view of one of the Note slips."

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral IIJ designates a playing board as a whole, which may be formed of any suitable material. This playing board has its upper playing surface provided with a plurality of playing fields II, which are preferably square, When these playing fields are arranged at the corner of the square playing board they u are spaced, as shown, to afford a cross-shaped safety eld or zone I2. Any suitable number of playing fields may be used, with the' safety elds or zones between them and the arrangement of the playing fields with respect to each other may be variedA It is to be distinctly understood that the invention is in no sense restricted to the ernployment of four playing iields arranged as shown. The game may be played with but two fields or with any number over two, and one playing eld may be used, in playing a game with some degree of success. The player at each playing eld will play in turn successively from the right to the left, as indicated by the arrow in Figure 2, while the invention is not restricted to this procedure. -However, this order stated will render clear the description of each playing field.

Each playing field embodies a checkered surface including playing squares or spaces I3, I4, I5, I6, I1, I8, I9, 2i), 2|, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 21, 28, 29 and 30, with the usual non-playing blocks or spaces 3|. While it is preferred to have these spaces I3 to 30 inclusive and 3| square as is the usual practice in the checker board, yet they may be made in any other suitable shape, if desired. The playing spaces I3, I4, I5, 2I and 21 are marked Mergen When an Employee playing piece of a competitor reaches any one of these Merger playing spaces it will. then become a Merger playing piece, as will be more fully explained. The remaining playing spaces are provided with money designations, and other data indicating whether the money is to be paid or collected. Associated with this data of each playing space is additional data indicating why the money is paid or collected. This indicating data is interesting and educational. The amount of money indicated on each playing space is of course arbitrary, and may be varied as desired, and' also the data indicating Whether this money is to be paid or collected. The educational data associated with'the money designation may also be Varied, and may also be omitted, and the game played with some degree of success. The playing space IS has formed thereon Pay $2,000 arranged at each side of the same so that it may be conveniently read from either side of the playing board. Between these designations the playing space carries the Words Machinery and equipment expense. When a playing piece is moved from'the playing space I3 into the playing space I5, the player must pay to the Banker $2,000, as indicated, and the words Machinery and equipment expense are presented simply as educational or interesting information, Yas a manufacturer is frequently called upon to pay amounts spaces, as is obvious.

for such equipment. In a similar manner, the playing space is marked Pay $500 and Advertising budget; playing space IB Pay $300V and Insurance; playing space I9 Pay $250 and Taxes; playing space 20 Collect $2,000 and Contract order; playing space 22, Pay $500 and Communication and traveling expenses; playing space 23 Pay $750 and Dividends to stockholders; playing space 24 Pay $500 and Meet payroll; playing space 25 Collect $500 and Salesman order; playing space 26 Pay $300 and (All mergers free) and Rent due; playing space 28 Pay $200 and Pay social security taxes; playing space 29 Pay $500 and "Power and light contract; playing space 30 Pay $1,000 and Purchase raw material. The non-playing spaces 3| are preferably provided with figures or drawings illustrating the subject matter of the data upon the adjacent playing space. For instance the playing space 22 is marked Communication and traveling expenses and the non-playing space 3| next above the space 22 is provided with a representation of a telephone while the non-playing space 3| next to the right of the space 22 is provided with a representation of telegrams. The other non-playing spaces are provided with other corresponding representations depending upon the character of the written data upon the adjacent playing The non-playing spaces 3| in each playing eld are preferably of the same selected color, and this color is different for each playing eld. Each playing space or square is provided with an arrow head or arrow heads, at

1 its corner or edge, indicating the direction in which the Employee playing piece may be moved from the playing space. Where there is no arrow head at the corner, the Employee playing piece can not be moved from that playing space in the direction of such corner. 'Ihe playing spaces I3, I4, I5, 2| and 2'| are provided with arrow heads 32, at the corresponding upper left corners, but there are no arrow heads at the corresponding right corners. 'I'he playing space I8 is provided with arrow heads 33 at its top and bottom, next to the safety zone I2; the playing space I1 is provided with arrow heads 34 and 35, at the upper left and right corners, and pointing in the directions shown; the playing space I8 is provided with an arrow head 36 at the upper left corner pointing in the direction shown; the playing space I9 is provided with arrow heads 3'I, 38 and 39, arranged at the lower left corner, the upper left corner and upper right corner, and pointing in the directions shown; the playing space 2|) is provided with an arrow head 40 in the upper left corner and an arrow head 4I in the upper right corner, pointing in the directions shown; the playing space 22 is provided with arrow heads 42 at its top and bottom and adjacent to the safety zone |2 and pointing in the direction shown; the playing space 23 is provided with arrow heads 43 and 44, at the upper left corner and upper right corner, respectively, and pointing in the directions shown; the playing space 24 is provided with an arrow head 45, at the upper left corner and pointing in the direction shown; the playing space 25 has an arrow head 46 at its lower left corner, an arrow head 4I at its upper left corner and arrow head 48 at its upper right corner, pointing in the directions shown;the playing space 26 has an.

arrow head 49 at the upper left corner and an arrow head 50 at the upper right corner, pointing in the directions shown; the playing space 28 has an arrow head at its lower left corner, an

arrow head 52 at its upper left corner and an arrow head 5 3 at its upper right corner, pointing in the directions shown; the playing space 29 has arrow heads 54 and 55 at its upper left corner and upper right corner respectively, and pointing in the direction shown; and the playing space 38 has an arrow head 56 at the upper left corner and an arrow head 5l at the upper right corner, pointing in the direction shown. All of the arrow heads thus described are shown as black, although they may be formed of any other color, provided all of such arrow heads are of the same color. These black arrow heads are used to indicate and control the direction and movement of the Employee playing pieces upon the home playing eld and the Employee playing pieces being played on the home eld can only be moved from a given playing space in accordance with the indications of the black arrow head or arrow heads. 'Where there is no black arrow head at the corner or edge of a given playing space in the home'eld, the home Employee" playing piece can not be moved from such playing space through or over this corner. In other words, the absence of a black arrow head prohibits the movement of the Employee playing piece. 'I'he black arrow heads may be designated Home arrow heads to distinguish the same from "Competitors arrow heads which are associated with the playing spaces, as will be described. These Competitor arrow heads control the direction and movement of the Employee playing pieces of a competitor who moves from a competitor playing field into the home playing field of another player. These Competitor arrow heads are shown as white to distinguish them from the black Home arrow heads although any other suitable color may be employed. 'Ihe playing space I6 is provided with a white Competitor arrow head 58, at its lower right corner and pointing in the direction shown; the playing space I1 has a Competitor arrow head 59 at its lower left corner and a Competitor arrow head 68 at its lower right corner, pointingrin the directions shown; the playing space I8 has a Competitor" arrow head 6I at its lower left corner, a Competitor arrow head 62 at its lower right corner and a Competitor arrow head 63 vat its upper right corner pointing in the directions shown; the playing space I9 has a Competitor arrow head 64 at its lower right corner pointing in the direction shown; the playing space 29 has a Competitor arrow head 65 at its lower left corner and a Competitor arrow head 66 at its lower right corner, pointing in the directions shown; the playing space 22 has a Competitor arrow head 61 at its lower right corner, pointing in the direction shown; the playing space 23 has a Competitor arrow head 68 at its lower left corner and a Competitor arrow head 69 at its lower right corner, pointing in the directions shown; the playing space 24 has a Competitor arrow head I8 at its lower right corner and a Competitor arrow head 1| at its upper right corner pointing in the directions shown; the playing space 25 has aY C'ompetitor" arrow vhead 12 at the lower right corner and pointing in the direction shown; the playing space 26 has a Competitor arrow head 13 at its lower left corner and a Competitor arrow head 14 at its lower right corner, pointing in the directions shown; the playing space 28 has a Competitor arrow head at the lower right corner pointing in the direction shown; the playing space 29 has a Competitor arrow head 16 at its lower left corner and a "Competitor arrow head I'I at its lower right corner, pointing in the directions shown; and the playing space 30 has a Competitor arrow head 18 at its lower left corner and a Competitor" arrow head 19 at its lower right corner, pointing in the directions shown.

For the purpose of convenience the several playing fields are designated or named in accordance with the colors of their non-playing spaces 3|. The playing field at the lower right corner may be designated Red Manufacturing Company since the non-playing spaces 3| are regarded as being red; the next playing field II to the left may be designated Green Manufacturing Company since its non-playing spaces 3| may be green; the next playing field I I designated Yellow Manufacturing Company for the same reason; and the next playing field II designated Blue ManufacturingCompany for the same reason. The several playing spaces in each playing eld are identical and are arranged in the same order with respect to the position occupied by the player.

The Employee playing piece is designated by the numeral 80. 'I'his "Employee playing piece has a dove tailed groove 8| in its top to receive a dove tailed tongue 82, carred by a top 83. The top may therefore be detachably secured to the Employee playing piece 80 and when these parts are so assembled they constitute a Merger playing piece. It is preferred that the Employee playing piece and top 83 be of the same color and the Employee playing pieces for each playing field are preferably the same color as the non-playing spaces of the playing eld, for the purpose of convenience. The number of Employee playing pieces to'be used with each playing field will be stated later.

In the playng of the game, tokens or chips 84 are used, having money designations which are arbitrary and may be varied if desired. There are any number of tokens of suitable denominations so that the player may conveniently meet the requirements during the playing of the game. If desired, the different denominations of the tokens or chips may be of different colors for convenience.

Each player is also preferably provided with a "Note slip, designated 85. The Note slip enables the player to borrow $2,000 less the interest at in advance. It is obvious that this amount is arbitrary and may be varied.

In the playing of the game, the following rules i are preferably employed:

Rules 1. The black arrow heads indicate the direction of movement of the home Employee playing pieces on the home field while the white arrow heads indicate the direction of movement of the competitor Employee playing pieces when moved into the home field of another player. Where there is no black arrow head at the corner or the edge of the playing space of the home field, the Employee playing piece can not be moved and where there isno white arrow head on such playing space, no competitior Employee playing piece can be moved, when moved into the field of another player. These regulatons apply to the Employee playing pieces and not to the Merger playing pieces of one or more players.

. 2Ten Employee playing pieces and ten tops therefor are provided in connection with each playing field, and each player is originally provided with five Employee playing pieces, which,

in the starting of the game are arranged upon the Merger playing spaces I3, I4, I5, 2|, and 21. When the player carries any Employee playing piece into the playing eld of a competitor and advances the same to the Merger playing space, the Employee playing piece is then provided with a corresponding top 83 so that it becomes a Merger playing piece.

3. There is a Banker who should retain the additional Employee player pieces and caps and also the tokens, or chips, in a sufficient amount to meet the requirements. The Banker will provide each player with tokens amounting to $10,000, preferably in the following denomina.- tions, one $2,000 token, two $1,000 tokens, two $750 tokens, three $500 tokens, three $300 tokens, four $250 tokens, three $200 tokens and five $100 tokens and also a Note slip for $2,000.

4. Each player is entitled to credit and uses the Note slip for that purpose. If he runs out of sufcent money he presents the Note slip", to the Banker and receives $1,900 in tokens which is the proper amount less the 5% interest in advance. After a player borrows, be must pay the Banker $2,000 as soon as he has accumulated $2,500 and the Banker will then return the Note slip. The player may repeat the borrowing process after he has paid the Banker and this may be done any number of times.

5. A playing piece may be moved from the playing space of one playing field into the safety zone in one move and from the safety zone into the playing space of the Competitor playing field next to the safety zone in one move. Afterl an Employee playing piece has left the home playing field and entered the safety zone it can not return to the home playing field until it has entered a Competitor playing field and has become converted to a Merger playing piece. Any Merger playing piece may enter any playing eld having a playing piece therein, but lnot otherwise. An Employee playing piece or a Merger playing piece may jump a playing piece in a playing space next to the safety zone, the safety zone then serving as a playing space, but the playing piece can not jump from the safety Zone into a playing eld over a playing piece next to the safety Zone.

6. The Home and Competitor arrow heads do not control the operation of the Merger playing pieces which may be moved upon the playing spaces in either direction.

7. When a playing piece is jumped or forced out it is removed from the board and the cash reward is made. For the jump or removal of an Employee playing piece a cash reward of $500 is made to the party making the jump from the party whose Employee playing piece has been jumped, and in a similar manner a cash reward of $1,000 will be made for the jumping or forcing out of a Merger playing piece.

8. A player may hire any number of "Employee playing pieces up to ve. Before hiring each Employee playing piece, all of his Employee playing pieces in the home field must have been moved so that all of the Merger spaces are vacant and all of the Employee playing pieces must still be in the home field. If the player moves any one of his Employee playing pieces from the home field into the safety zone he can not thereafter hire an Employee playing piece or pieces. When the next play is reached, the player will then hire an Employee playing piece from the Banker for which he pays the Banker $3,000 in tokens and this-new Employee playing piece is placed on the Merger space I5, but can not be moved until the next turn. The player may now move any one of the other Employee playing pieces, and as long as no Employee playing piece is moved into the safety zone he can continue to hire other Employee playing pieces, under the conditions stated.

9. A Merger playing space may be bought by a player. When this is desired, the player wishing to buy makes the announcement when his next turn is reached and before making his next move. The player Vbuying the Merger pays the competitor player $5,000 for the Merger playing space in the competitor playing field, and the Banker furnishes the Merger playing piece and it is placed in the Merger playing space agreed upon and determined by the competitor who sells the space. The purchasing player may now move any of his Employee playing pieces or "Merger playing pieces desired upon his next move ormay move theMergerplaying piece just purchased. If no competitor is willing to sell a Merger space the Banker calls time and the game proceeds.

10. If a player wishes to sell a Merger space, when his turn comes he offers to sell a Merger space. Those interested in the offer may bid and the bidding starts at $5,000. The buyer pays the purchase price to the player offering the Merger space and the Banker furnishes the Merger playing piece and places it upon the Merger space selected and sold by the player selling. The payment for the Merger playing piece is made by the player buying the Merger space to the player selling the Merger space, at the price agreed upon. This sold Merger playing piece may be moved by the purchaser when his next turn is reached, as desired. If there are no bids on the offer, the Banker calls time and the game is proceeded.

11. When all of the playing pieces left are Merger playing pieces and there are "Merger playing pieces in two or more playing fields, a Merger playing piece may be moved from one playing field into the safety zone and on the next move it may be moved into any of the playing fields other than the playing field from which it was last moved. After this Merger playing piece has been moved into the last playing eld, it may aga-in be moved intothe safety zone and subsequently moved into any other playing field Where there are playing Merger pieces. When all of the Merger playing pieces are confined in the same playing field, no Merger playing piece may then be moved into the safety zone, except to jump another Merger playing piece. A player can not skip a move so that when a Merger playing piece is in such a position that it can not be moved except into the safety zone, the Banker removes such Merger playing piece from the board. When a Merger playing piece is in such a position that the Merger playing piece of a competitor may jump the same and enter the safety zone, such jump must be made but both Merger playing pieces will be removed, but the player jumping would receive $1,000 for the jump, as stated.

12. Each player must make all possible jumps, and upon failure to do so and his attention being called to the matter and having made another move, the playing piece will be returned to the original position and the jump will be made. The Banker will then declare and collect a penalty of $1,000 from the offending player but the offending player is entitled to collect from the competitor player the amount that the jump calls for. A player who has two possible jumps may select between the same.

13. Once a player touches a playing piece, when it is his turn to move, he must play promptly, and the Banker will declare and collect a penalty of $250 for any undue delay.

14. The Banker may declare and collect a penalty of $500 from any player guilty of undue delay even before touching his playing piece.

With the foregoing rules in mind the game may be played as follows:

Each player has the five Employee playing pieces arranged upon the Merger playing spaces, at the starting of the game. The game is ordinarily started by the player having the playing field designated Red Manufacturing Company. Assuming that this player moves his playing piece into the playing space I6, he will then pay to the Banker token or tokens amounting to $2,000. It should be noted that the playing piece in the playing space I3 must be moved in the direction of the Home arrow head 32 and hence could only be moved into the playing space I6 and upon entering the playing space I6 its movement is controlled by the Home arrow heads 33 and hence can only be moved into the safety zone. The Employee playing pieces in the home playing field are thus moved upon the playing spaces I3 like the movement of men in playing checkers, subject to the restriction that they can only be moved on the playing spaces in the direction indicated by the Home arrow heads. In a similar manner, when the player in the Red Manufacturing Company playing field moves into other playing spaces he pays the money to the Banker as indicated upon the playing space or receives from the Banker the amount of money indicated in the playing space by the word Collect. By this means, each player, for each move upon a playing field, increases or decreases Yhis amount of capital. Care and skill must therefore be taken in the movement of the Employee playing pieces, to prevent the depletion of the players capital. If the capital is exhausted including the credit obtained through the Note slip the player loses the game regardless of the numberA of playing pieces he has remaining. It might be stated at this point that when necessary, the player can increase his capital by the use of the Note slip, in accordance with the rules provided. After the player of the Red Manufacturing Company has played, the player at the Green Manufacturing Company playing field plays, and each player has his turn in succession. Each player may move his Employee playing piece into the safety zone I2 in one move, and upon his next turn into a playing space next to the safety Zone in a Competitor pla-ying field, by one move. Each player, when moving his Employee playing piece into the Competitor playing field moves in his turn, and seeks to move the playing piece from one playing space to the other until the playing piece reaches the Merger playing space in the Competitor playing field. The direction of movement of the Employee playing piece in the Competitor playing field is controlled by the white Competitor arrow heads, as explained. When moving, in the Competitor playing field from one playing space to the other, the money is paid to the Banker by the player or collected from the Banker by the player, upon each move, as indicated on the playing spaces. When the playing piece reaches the Merger playing space in the Competitor playing field, the Banker then applies the top to the playing piece which is converted into a Merger playing piece. This Merger playing piece may be moved upon the playing spaces in any playing field, in which it is located, in either direction, as its movement is not controlled by the black Home arrow heads or the white Competitor arrow heads. These Merger playing pieces are moved like the Kings in playing Checkers. When a player thus acquires a Merger playing piece in a Competitor playing field he has a decided advantage and may jump one or more of the Employee playing pieces in such field and of course also can jump Merger playing pieces therein, of his Competitor or Competitors. Two or more players may enterthe same playing field and the playing pieces are moved therein, in accordance with the rules, depending upon Whether they are Emp1oyee" playing pieces or Merger playing pieces, and the money paid or collected for each move. When an Employee playing piece is jumped it is removed from the board by the Banker and the player making the jump is paid $500 by the Competitor losing the piece and the player making the jump of a Merger playing piece is paid $1,000, in a similar manner, and the jumped Merger playing piece is removed. The Merger playing piece of each player, as long as there are Employeeplaying pieces remaining on the board,may be moved from one playing field into the other playing field. However, when all of the playing pieces remaining become Merger playing pieces and all of theseMergerplaying pieces are moved into the one playing field then the Merger playing pieces in this one playing field can not be moved back into the safety zone, but the player will lose the Merger playing piece upon his next move, if the only move he had was into the safety Zone. If the Merger playing piece is positioned so that it may jump a Merger playing piece of a competitor and by so doing enter the safety zone, the jump may be made, but both "Merger playing pieces would be removed from the board, and of course the player whose Merger playing piece was jumped will pay $1,000 to the player making the jump. When Merger playing pieces are moved on the playing field, the amount of money to be collected upon each play is doubled, but the amount of money indicated on the playing space is to be paid.

If the Merger playing piece is moved into the playing space 26, the paying of the amount of the money indicated therein is saved, but the amount must be paid when an Employee playing piece is moved into this space.

While I have described the playing of my game in accordance with the rules stated, which is preferred, yet the playing of the game is not necessarily restricted to these rules, as various changes may be made, and regulations omitted, without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Any number of playing elds Il may be used at one time, and when any playing field is not in use, it is indicated by placing thereon a slip or card 86, indicating Vacant It is preferred to have the playing fields checkered, but I contemplate providing such fields with playing spaces which are not checkered, and moving the playing pieces' on these spaces.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. In game apparatus, spaced checkered Home and Competitor playing fields for receiving thereon Home and Competitor playing pieces, each checkered playing field comprising playing spaces, each playing field having a set of devices indicating the direction of movement of the Home playing pieces, the devices in said set pointing in different directions, each playing field also having a set of devices indicating the direction of movement of the Competitor playing pieces, the devices in the second named set pointing in different directions, the devices in one set being readily distinguishable in appearance from the devices in the other set without relying upon the direction in which the devices point.

2. In game apparatus, spaced checkered Home and Competitor playing fields for receiving thereon Home and Competitor playing pieces, each checkered playing field comprising playing spaces, each playing field having a set of devices indicating the direction of movement of the Home playing pieces, the devices in said set pointing in different directions, each playing field also having a set of devices indicating the direction of movement of the Competitor playing pieces, the devices in the second named set pointing in different directions, the devices in one set being readily distinguishable in appearance from the devices in the other set without relying upon the direction in which the devices point, and a safety zone arranged between and at the adjacent edges of the playing fields so that the playing pieces may be moved from the playing field into the safety zone by a single movement and from the safety zone into the field by a single movement.

CHARLES WALLACE HORTON, JR. 

